Welcome to the NavCoder website!

About NavCoder

NavCoder is a Windows application to reprogram BMW navigation computers and other ibus devices. Its written in VB6, and was started in 2006. It has grown much over the last few years. Here's what the current (beta) NavCoder window looks like (this is the new beta version, with hugely improved user interface):

View the ibus data in real time and in plain text! 90% of all ibus messages can be displayed in English.

Scan the ibus and retrieve information on every connected device

Scan and retrieve service information, showing vehicle kms and last service data

Code the Light Control Module and switch off light bulb warning messages (great if you are fitting LED lights) as well as code Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)

Code the Navigation computer (Mk2, Mk3 or Mk4) and set any setting you like. You can load languages, change from Mono to Colour nav or vice versa, adjust split screen mode, and change regional settings. Everything!

Code the TV and enable TV-in-Motion, change backup camera from NTSC to PAL and more

Test the PDC, showing each sensor working in real time, with distance to obstruction

Save and read ibus log files to help in analysing the ibus data flow through the vehicle. Handy for fault finding

And lots more...

Screenshots

Read and Code NavigationRead the current coding and setup your navigation the way you want. Change the boot mode from Mono (as used in E46 mono navs) to colour-screen navs (as used almost everywhere).You can also set the languages to any combination you want, and recode the nav for another vehicle (useful if you are selling second-hand navigation units). Note: loading an OS and loading new languages requires a BMW OS disk. They can be found on the web...

Read and Code TVThe very popular "TV in motion" setting is found here.You can also set your backup camera to PAL or NTSC - something that the BMW diagnostic software cannot do!

Read and Code RadioChange area, set RDS options, and more.

Read and Code ULF and TCU Telephone modulesDid you know that ULF modules from Coding Index 05 have voice recognition built in? Code it with NavCoder!

Easily send any message you onto the ibus with the Message TesterYou can also save 5 commands into 5 function buttons. You can also enter any ibus command and decode it into plain text - very useful when developing ibus applications.

Download NavCoder

Want to see the NavCoder history? I started NavCoder at the end of 2006, when I was doing a lot of repair work and upgrades on BMW nav systems. Read the Readme.txt file.

Purchasing NavCoder

NavCoder is shareware and only costs 20 Euros (release version) or 25 Euros (beta version, more features). You can download and install NavCoder without paying. When you decide you like it, you can register and pay for NavCoder easily using the built-in PayPal payment features. If you wish, you can pay by PayPal now:

NavCoder Release Versionv2.8.350

20 Euros

NavCoder Beta Versionv2.9.xxx

25 Euros

Note: if you pay using the PayPal Buy Now buttons above, you will need to send me displayed serial number in NavCoder, so that I can generate the product key for you.
If you pay using the Buy Now button inside NavCoder itself, then the serial number is automatically inclubed in your payment to me.

You can also pay by cash or bank transfer; contact the author for more details.
The non-registered version of NavCoder has some restrictions - some coding capabilities are disabled.
NavCoder automatically checks for updates and will tell you when new versions are available.
The registration stays valid for all future versions.

Recent changes

Here's the last recent changes:
2012:
Beta version still in fine tuning

14 June: NavCoder v2.9.177.Beta available

2010:

26 July: NavCoder v2.8.350 released

5 May: NavCoder v2.8.270 released

27 March: NavCoder v2.8.194 released

28 January: NavCoder v2.8.162 released

26 January: NavCoder v2.8.160 released

2009:

24 December: NavCoder v2.8.15 released

14 December: NavCoder v2.8.8 released

12 December: NavCoder v2.8.0 released

29 October: NavCoder v2.7.75 released

19 October: NavCoder v2.7.65 released

8 October: NavCoder v2.7.55 released

6 October: NavCoder v2.7.50 released

5 October: NavCoder v2.7.46 released

2 October: NavCoder v2.7.40 released

25 September: NavCoder v2.7.25 released

18 July: NavCoder v2.7.0 released

27 June: NavCoder v2.6.68 released, BG and EL languages released

07 June: NavCoder v2.6.60 released

03 June: NavCoder v2.6.51 released

02 June: NavCoder v2.6.50 released

What you need to use NavCoder

To use NavCoder you need a laptop with Windows (anything from Windows 2000 to Windows 7; it may still work on Win95, but I cannot test it on Win95 any more) and an ibus interface.
The ibus interface is the necessayr hardware interface to convert the electrical signal of the BMW ibus into good old RS232 for the laptop.
You can choose to make your own ibus interface, using the circuit diagram supplied in the NavCoder installation directory. It's simple and cheap, costing much less than USD $10 in parts.
Or you can purchase a "Resler interface" from Rolf Resler. Have a look at Rolf's website.
Rolf's ibus interface is available as a USB version or a good old serial com port version. Choose what you want based on what ports your laptop has available.
Both of the "Resler interfaces" are 100% compatible with NavCoder.

Each language is available as a plain-text LNG file. At least one LNG file must be present for NavCoder to work. You can choose to have all LNG files on your PC, or just the languages you use.
NavCoder automatically detects the language of the PC, and configures itself to that language on first startup. However, you are free to change the NavCoder language to any other language (LNG file) currently installed on your PC at any time.

Language not shown?

If your language is not listed, and you would like to help translate NavCoder into your language, please contact the author.